


Hold Me Close

by J0rd3nn3



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Final Fantasy - Freeform, Final Fantasy XV - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff without Plot, Fluffy Ending, I want the best for this man, Light Angst, Reader-Insert, Romantic Fluff, also lmao so many blind jokes i'm terrible, fem!reader - Freeform, he deserved so much better, look i just love Ignis okay, they all did
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 20:23:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14386413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J0rd3nn3/pseuds/J0rd3nn3
Summary: A piece in which Ignis gets the happiness we all want for him. But only after some angst, of course.





	Hold Me Close

**Author's Note:**

> I used this one to get back into writing dialogue! I love dialogue more than anything else when it comes to writing. Channeling a character and coming up with what I think they would say, how they would say it and how they would present themselves has always been a fun challenge! Hopefully this one will ease your need for fluff :)

“What the bloody hell were you trying to accomplish?” Ignis asked aggressively, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. 

_Blood was dripping down his arms, turning his white shirt a crimson red. Her body trembled beneath him, nonsense sputtering from her pale lips. He held her closer to his body, trying to provide her with some sort of warmth and comfort. She was dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it._

“I was protecting Noctis!” She argued, offended that Ignis would question her motives. 

“I was right there beside him. Your mistrust in my abilities to protect him myself is misplaced.” Ignis barked back. He folded his arms over his chest and sighed deeply. He stared her down, challenging her to not break her angry gaze away from him. 

_The scream. The sound of sheer horror and pain echoed through the night sky. Her body laying on the floor, writhing as she cried. If only he was a few seconds faster. If only he had been more aware of everything around him. She never would have been in that pain she was in._

“You know damn well that I am aware of the power you possess. I have never doubted you for a second, Ignis.” 

She wanted to stand up in front of him, on her toes and in his face to give him a taste of his own medicine with the same aggressive body language that he was blatantly displaying for her. But her healing injury to her back prevented her from doing so. She could barely sit up on her. 

“What you did was idiotic—rash, and evidently dangerous. You could have died!” 

_He begged her to stay awake with him and he watched her slowly close her eyes. He did his best to stop the bleeding but it just kept coming. It was so much blood. So much all over his clothes, covering his hands and arms. He was shaking, fear eating him alive. He should have been there to save her. He should have been in her place._

She clenched her fists into the blanket on top of her body. 

“Then I would have died in my line of duty. I knew that was a risk when I signed up for the job.” 

Ignis scoffed at her words, turning his back to her. 

“Your job was to escort Noctis and his retinue safely through the outside of city walls, not throw yourself at a rabid creature.” Ignis’ voice was bland, and quiet. He had chosen to go down a path now that he knew he would regret. But the anger, the worry he felt...It was too much for one man to handle. 

_He saw it all happened before it did. Noct and himself were too busy with a behemoth to notice the coerul sneaking up behind them. She shouted his name at the top of her lungs, and shoved him out of the way. The coerul sunk its claws into her back before he had even hit the ground. He looked at her face, and his heart shattered._

“Excuse me?” She snapped, now growing angrier at his implication that she was not capable of the task to protect the King; that risking her life for him was beneath her. 

“How dare you.” She said through clenched teeth. “I’ve sacrificed so much, suffered too many losses to just be an ‘escort’. I swore to the Kingdom that I would give my life to protect Noctis. I would give absolutely anything to make sure Insomnia doesn’t lose their King again, and that includes my life!” 

Her body was vibrating slightly from anger. Tears stinging her eyes, as she looked away from him knowing that he hated it when she cried. He didn’t have time to comfort her, she needed to be strong; emotions were to be left out of this line of work. That was something he was usually so good at. Until now, it seemed. 

Ignis took a long deep breath to collect himself. Guilt was washing over him as he knew he had said exactly what he could to upset her. He wanted her to feel the pain he had felt when he thought he was going to lose her. 

_Ignis could do nothing but wait outside the tent as her life was in Gladio’s hands. He clenched his hands into fists with every painful scream coming off her lips. Elixir, potions, phoenix down’s—nothing had worked enough to subside the pain. Ignis was pacing in front of the tent, listening to as much as he could hear between Gladio and Noctis, who had offered to assist him. Then suddenly, the screaming stopped, and so did his heart as Gladio came out of the tent, covered in blood and a look of sadness in his eyes._

Ignis opened his mouth to speak, to diffuse the entire situation as he should have from the start but she had began to speak again. 

“I will admit that my actions were not entirely thought out at the time. Thinking back on it now, Noctis would only have been minorly hurt in the altercation if I had not intervened….but the coerul would have gotten to the best of you, Ignis. You would be where I am now, or worse. I...I can’t stand that thought. You’re needed here, Iggy, more than you know. You’re the only thing keeping the guys alive.” 

She looked at him with a certain kind of sadness in her eyes. She smiled softly, but there was no form of happiness in the gesture at all. 

“When it comes down to it, your life is worth more than mine. I would do it all over again just to keep you safe.” 

Tears fell freely from her eyes. She quickly tried to wipe them away with the back of her hands, feeling like an idiot for crying so openly to a man who hated it so much. It took a lot of energy from her to be able to fight back the tears, hold herself up and argue with Ignis all at the same time. It was more energy than she had left in her still recovering body. 

Ignis stood there quietly. He opened and closed his mouth over and over again, wanting to say something but not having the right words come to mind. Only she ever had this effect on him. Usually so stoic and composed, ready to speak on queue and always having a plan. With her, he became unraveled and a incoherent mess. His friends like to call that ‘being human’. 

"My life is not above your own. Do not go doing something so dangerous and irreversible because you feel my presence necessary, do you understand?” He asked, coming over to sit on the end of the bed. 

_Gladio said she passed out from the pain, but it was for the best. Her screaming and begging for it to be over only made him lose focus. He had managed to get the bleeding to slow down, and dress the wounds. She had gone through their whole supply of potions, but she would be okay for the night. Ignis could breathe again. She was going to be okay. She was going to live. He would see her smile once more._

 

She looked up at him and sighed quietly. She gently eased herself onto her back, shifting beneath the covers to get as comfortable as she could without disturbing the dressings of her wounds. Ignis didn’t understand the meaning behind each of her words. He didn’t understand that her actions had an alternative motive. 

“How can someone be so intelligent and perceptive, yet so dumb and blind?” She asked, feeling her mind cloud with a dream like haze. Her eyes had slipped shut, a soft small yawn escaping between her lips. 

“I’m afraid I do not understand.” Ignis stated.

A few moments had passed without answer. Her silence provoked Ignis to look over his shoulder. Eyes closed, mouth slightly parted, her chest slowly rising and falling. She was asleep once again. Ignis felt relief wash over him as it meant the arguing would end. But guilt soon filled him again as he realized the conversation was unfinished, and she still believed that Ignis was particularly mad at _her_. 

He bowed his head down and sighed to himself. He brushed away some stray hairs from his face, removing his glasses in the process. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed them with his thumb and index finger, going over the whole conversation again in his mind. He had scolded her about being rash, and yet everything he said was from anger and rashness. A damn idiot, he was. 

Ignis removed himself from the foot of her bed, careful not to disturb her. He slowly padded over to the side of the bed she had rolled over on, and knelt down to be at level with her. He took one of her hands in his, brushing her knuckles with his thumb. He took note of each rough patch of skin and every scar, only wishing he could have been there to mend them. 

The woman before him was too beautiful to deny. Even as she laid there, wrapped in bandages and bruises on every inch of her body, she was the most beautiful being he had ever laid eyes on. More beautiful than Shiva herself, if Ignis was to be honest. 

He couldn’t imagine the pain she must have suffered throughout her life, and now he was adding to the list with rash and worried emotions. She just had a way with this man, knowing what buttons to press to set him off. Unravelling him had been fun for her, and for Ignis sometimes as well. She brought out many sides of himself not even he knew he had. But it was times like these where he wished she didn’t possess such a power. 

“I am sorry, my dear.” Ignis whispered against her skin. “I acted rather foolishly out of fear and worry. I was scared and unsure that I would ever be graced with your presence again. My anger was not for you, but for the thought that you would so easily leave me here alone. It was selfish of me. I hope when you wake, you will find it in your heart to forgive my ignorance.” 

He raised her hand to his lips, kissing it softly before letting it go once more. He stayed beside her for what felt like hours. Every time she stirred in her sleep, or mumbled something incoherent, Ignis was quick to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. She deserved peace for the remainder of the night...Gods know she had been through enough already. 

 

“I guess you two worked it out then, huh?” 

Gladio’s low voice appearing behind Ignis, startling him just a little bit. 

“I’m afraid I have said some things I regret.” Ignis whispered to his dear friend.

They both watched as she stirred in her sleep, eyes squeezing tightly from the pain in her back. Ignis stroked her hair gently, not caring that Gladio had found him in such an intimate moment with their fallen companion. 

Gladio had moved from behind Ignis to beside him, hovering over her, a bottle in his hand. 

“Won’t do much...but it should allow her to sleep through the rest of the night without too much pain.” He explained, breaking the delicate bottle over her chest. The two of them watched in silence as specs of green light floated over her body, going to work on her wounds. The pain in her face slipped away, and she returned to an undisturbed sleep. 

“She’ll be okay. She’s tougher than anyone I’ve ever met.” Gladio stated, knowing that the look on his friends face was one of complete worry. “I trained her, remember?” Gladio offered Ignis a playful smile. 

“Mm, yes. That does explain why she never knows when to quit.” Ignis said, smiling right back to him. 

Seeing Ignis in such an intimate state helped Gladiolus understand him better as a person. He liked to joke quite often that Ignis would babysit Noctis for the rest of his life and that Ignis wouldn’t know what it meant to really live life. But the way Gladio saw the concern on his face, and the love in his eyes, he knew Ignis was capable of a life outside his duties. Now he had the chance to find that, with their fallen friend. All he had to do was push him in the right direction…

“She’s got a real soft spot for ya’, Iggy.” Gladio stated.

Ignis smiled down upon her. He grabbed her hand in his once more, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. “It seems I have one for her as well.” 

Gladio sat down beside Ignis, taking in the sight before him. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get the chance to see Ignis so at peace with himself ever again. He wanted to savour the moment, just in case. Maybe use it as a form of blackmail if a situation ever called for it. 

“She risked her life for you. I think she’s gonna have that one on ya’ for a while.” Gladio said. 

Ignis nodded. “Perhaps. She said she was only fulfilling her duties to the King.” 

Gladio scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Noct would have warped outta there faster than Prompto noticing Cindy in a new outfit. She was protecting your sorry ass, Iggy.” 

“She...did mention something about me being needed.” Ignis mumbled. 

“Yeah. _She_ needs you, Iggy. She puts up a good front but that woman is so in love with you, she doesn’t know what to do with herself.” 

Gladio noticed Ignis stopped brushing his thumb against her knuckles. There it was. It was out in the open now and there would be no more beating around the bush. Gladio had gown impatient with the game the two of them didn’t even know they were playing. Someone had to win eventually, and Gladio would be damned if it wasn’t both of them. 

“Intelligent and perceptive, yet dumb and blind.” Ignis chuckled to himself. “I see now, my dear.” He lifted his head to meet hers, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead. He stroked her hair back, smiling as his heart soared in his chest. 

“It seems we will have much to discuss when she wakes.” 

 

 

She awoke a few hours later. She found herself on the opposite side of the bed that she originally fell asleep on, now facing the window that displayed the slowly moving ocean. It brought and off sense of calmness to her, almost easing her back into slumber. She almost gave in, until she heard a quiet yawn just on the other side of her. Still feeling the effect of sleep, she rolled over slowly. She saw figured with their back pressed against the bedside table, head rolled back to look at the ceiling above. She blinked a few times to clear her vision.

“Ig?” She asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore. 

He turned to look at her, unsure if she had actually spoke, or if it was his mind playing tricks on him for the third time that night. 

He felt his heart leap out of his chest when he saw her eyes looking upon him, a soft smile resting upon her lips. 

“Good morning, my dear.” He said quietly. He pulled his glasses down from the top of his head and back onto the bridge of his nose.

“How long was I out this time?” She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

“Only for a few hours.” Ignis replied. He pulled one leg up to his chest, resting his elbow on his knee and allowing his chin to rest in the palm of his hand. 

“How do you feel?” He asked.

She took a moment to concentrate on her body. Her back had felt much better compared to the last time she was awake, but she still knew it was far from being fully healed. 

“I have a killer headache to be honest. My back feels a little better, though.” 

Ignis nodded at this. She knew now that something was off about him. It was unlike him to come off as so distracted and absent from a conversation, no matter the state. After a moment of thinking it over, she realized it must have been because they were fighting before she fell asleep. She remembered the look on his face...the way his hands were trembling.

“Iggy...I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lashed out on you like I did. It was completely out of line—” 

Ignis raised his hand up at her, causing her to stop speaking. Another unusual action by the royal adviser. 

“Please, do not apologize to me. It is I who should be the one begging for your forgiveness.” 

She knitted her eyebrows in confusion. While he had definitely said some hurtful things, it was nothing she felt he needed to beg for. Adrenaline ran in both of their bloodstreams at the time of their argument. Both of them regretted their actions, and both of them at fault. Ignis stood up from his place on the floor, asking her if she minded if he sat down beside her on the bed. She complied, and shifted over a smidge to give him some room. 

“I had accused you of not being able to do you job. I spoke out of ignorance and selfishness. I did not come to realize until after you had fallen asleep that my words may have affected you greatly.” 

He gazed down upon her, watching closely for any signs of discomfort. He was relieved to find none. But her mouth twitched as though she was going to speak, so Ignis quickly took the reins of the conversation again. 

“Allow me to finish.” He said quickly. “I’m afraid all that I have to say will be forgotten if I do not say it all now.” 

She opened her mouth but no sounds came out of it. She just shrugged her shoulders lazily and waited for the rest of his speech. 

“I only wish for you to know my….anger, was at the situation. You, risking your life. The thought of being in a world where you cease to exist pains me greatly. Instead of expressing this to you directly, I allowed myself to overthink as well as deny my feelings. I hurt you, and for that I will never be able to forgive myself. I am truly sorry.” 

Ignis felt as though all of Eos had been lifted from his shoulders. He was no longer internalizing all of which he felt, and now the ball was in her court. 

“I appreciate that, Ignis, thank you. But we are both at fault here. I put you in a foreign situation. I acted rather impulsively, recklessly. Then I had the guts to challenge your completely logical opinion to spare my pride. I’m so sorry.” 

Ignis grabbed her hand in his, just as he had being doing for the majority of the night, Rubbing the skin on her hands under this thumb, he spoke. 

“I suppose we are even now, aren’t we?” 

She felt her entire face flush. Ignis’ bare hand so casually on hers. The gesture was sweet, causing her chest to spread with warmth. 

“Though...I suppose I do have one more thing I need to apologize for.” Ignis whispered. 

His entire tone changed and she noticed right away. His hand was shaking beneath her, his thumb rubbing her skin just a little harder. She had never seen him like this before. This was entirely something new, and now she was worried. 

“Before you fell asleep, you had called me intelligent and perceptive, yet dumb and blind.” 

The room suddenly felt a lot warmer to the both of them, almost to the point of suffocation. Both of their palms becoming clammy. 

“I am sorry for taking so long to figure it out. I believe a part of me had known for all this time, but I was too afraid take action.” 

Ignis looked everywhere but her. His hand in hers, the bed, the floor, the ceiling, hell, even just passed her and out the window to the ocean. His heart was beating too loudly in his ears to concentrate on anything for longer than just a moment. 

“I love you...I believe I have for quite some time, my dear.” 

The room was thick with silence. Neither of them knew how to follow that up without embarrassing themselves more than they already might have. But the ‘I love you’ was still floating in the air, being inhaled and processed by each one of them. She wanted to say it back to him, but the words would not roll off her tongue no matter how much she willed them to.

Ignis found this amusing. “It’s quite alright, my love.” He stated, moving both hands up to cup her cheeks. “I know now. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. You’ve shown me your love everyday since as far as I can recall. I only wish you can find it within your heart to forgive me for being so blind...to give me the chance I do not deserve.” 

His eyes searched her entire face, waiting for an answer. She knew there wouldn’t be one that would suffice. She could never say anything to him that sounded as graceful and as eloquent as he. Words meant nothing coming from her when she compared it to the language that Ignis spoke. He captured everything he felt in a colourful array of words and expressions. He created masterpieces on plates for every single feeling a human could portray. Ignis was an artist in a way she never could be. 

She decided to let actions speak louder than words. 

Without another thought, she raised her lips to his, placing a kiss upon them. One of Ignis’ hands flew to the back of her neck, the other remaining on her cheek. Kissing each other after all this time had felt like the astrals opened up and created a new world soully just for the two of them. Their lips meshed together as though they were each tasting something sweet for the first time. Moving together in sync as though their lips had been made only for each other. It was a moment of pure bliss that neither of them wanted to escape from. Perfection in such a time of disaster. 

Ignis was the one to pull away. His head swimming in thoughts of just how perfect this moment was. How perfect she was. And now, she was his. Joy and pride filled him up to the brim as he pressed his forehead against hers. 

“I love you.” She whispered, pressing her lips softly against his once more. 

“And I you, my sweet.”

**Author's Note:**

> I DIED WITH HOW MANY TIMES I USED THE WORD BLIND. I KILLED MYSELF LAUGHING i don't feel bad about it at all.  
> Thanks for reading my stupid ass Ignis-in-love-focused-bullshit! This isn't the first time, and it definitely will not be the last.


End file.
